Carpet underlayment of needled scrim and fibrous layer with moisture barrier

Abstract

The disclosure is of an improved textile construction, useful as underlayment for carpeting. The construction comprises high temperature resistant staple fibers needled to a scrim of interwoven, high-temperature resistant yarns. The needled fabric has one surface treated to bond the surface fibers in place and one moisture-impervious film surface.

What is claimed: 
     
       1. A fire retardant, acoustical attenuating, low smoke, article, which comprises: a scrim of interwoven, high-temperature resistant textile yarns characterized in part by their high tensile strength and low stretch; said scrim having an upper surface and a lower surface;   a layer of fibrous material in the form of discrete staple fibers, attached to the lower surface of the scrim, said layer being consolidated through entanglement of the individual fibers and integrated with said yarns by entanglement of the fibers therewith, said entanglements being of the character produced by a needling operation, said fibers being fibers of a synthetic, high-temperature resistant, polymeric resin;   a layer of said fibers on the upper surface of the scrim, characterized by their adherence to the sub-surface of the underlayment and having been singed; and   a moisture barrier attached to the free surface of the fibrous material layer.   
     
     
       2. The underlayment of claim 1 wherein the yarns are yarns of aromatic polyamide fibers. 
     
     
       3. The underlayment of claim 1 wherein the resin is an aromatic polyamide. 
     
     
       4. The underlayment of claim 1 wherein the moisture barrier is a layer of an organopolysiloxane. 
     
     
       5. The underlayment of claim 4 wherein the organopolysilocane is an RTV silicone rubber. 
     
     
       6. The underlayment of claim 1 wherein the fibers on the upper surface of the scrim are adhesively bonded to each other and/or to the scrim yarns.